Category: Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield, Sheldon Richardson unaware of Myles Garrett’s racial slur accusation against Mason Rudolph

Baker Mayfield, Sheldon Richardson and other Browns were unaware of Myles Garrett’s accusation against Mason Rudolph that the Steelers QB used a racial slur

[jwplayer CxQ38ffE-ThvAeFxT]

The allegation made by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett that Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph used a racial slur at the onset of Thursday night’s brawl at FirstEnergy Stadium is rippling across the NFL landscape. The waves hit in the Browns locker room, too.

Two Browns players were directly asked by ESPN’s local beat writer, Jake Trotter, if they heard Rudolph say anything or if they had heard any talk about a possible racial slur prior to today. Neither Baker Mayfield nor Sheldon Richardson backed up Garrett’s claim, which the suspended DE made during his appeal hearing on Wednesday.

Trotter posted a very similar reaction from defensive lineman Richardson, who was on the field during the brawl,

As of now, there is no on-field audio from the brawl to confirm or refute Garrett’s allegation.

Updates:

One Browns player, left guard and team captain Joel Bitonio, does believe Garrett:

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. also affirmed his trust in Garrett’s words,

Baker Mayfield thriving by being asked to do less in Browns offense

Since the Browns bye week, Baker Mayfield has thrived by getting the ball out quicker and into the hands of his playmakers more often

One of the big reasons the Cleveland Browns struggled early in the season was the erratic play from Baker Mayfield. The accuracy, the poise, the magic that predominated Mayfield’s rookie campaign in 2018 was nowhere to be found.

But since the bye week, Baker is back, baby!

Mayfield has played very well since the Browns break in Week 7. He’s not been perfect and still makes some mistakes, but the ability to avoid the catastrophic misfires and giveaways has been a significant improvement from the first six games.

The statistics show where he’s improved:

90-of-143 (63%), 898 yards, 8 TDs, 1 INT

Before the break, Mayfield was 112-of-198 (56.6%), 1496 yards, 5 TDs, 11 INTs.

The panicked rolling back and to the right, frantically trying to extend plays and force things down the field is all but gone. Mayfield’s hesitation to pull the trigger in the early season has been replaced by the confident and efficient distributor we saw in his record-setting rookie campaign.

Mayfield is getting the ball out quicker and allowing his talented receivers to do more work after the catch. Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr. and Kareem Hunt have all broken off impressive runs after the catch. The Browns offense has shifted to letting the playmakers make the plays instead of trying to have Mayfield do everything.

It’s been a smart change that has helped both Mayfield and the overall offense.

Baker Mayfield on Myles Garrett: ‘That’s inexcusable’

Mayfield did not defend the Browns standout defensive end after the game

What should have been a joyous postgame for the Cleveland Browns instead resembled a crime scene aftermath. A brawl in the final seconds involving Myles Garrett, Mason Rudolph, a swinging helmet and Steelers offensive linemen completely overshadowed the Browns’ 21-7 win.

Baker Mayfield got the first shot at Browns damage control in a postgame interview on the field.

Mayfield spoke with Fox Sports’ Erin Andrews right after the game. Andrews asked the Browns QB about his reaction to Garrett’s violent attack on Rudolph.

“Inexcusable,” Mayfield said. “I don’t care, rivalry or not, we can’t do that. … That’s endangering the other team.”

Mayfield continued somberly:

“That’s inexcusable, and (Garrett) knows that.”

Andrews pressed Mayfield, knowing that he and Rudolph are friends, draft classmates and former college rivals.

“The reality is, (Garrett is) going to get suspended. We don’t know how long, and that hurts our team. We can’t do that. We can’t continue to hurt this team. It’s inexcusable.”

Watch: Baker fakes a Steeler out of his shoes, drills a strike to KhaDarel Hodge

The great pump fake and 41-yard pass set up the Browns second TD

Baker Mayfield sure looks like he’s feeling dangerous in the first half of the Thursday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns QB was definitely dangerous for a Pittsburgh pass rusher in the second quarter.

Mayfield gave a pump fake that juked Steelers OLB Jayrone Elliott out of his shoes. Watch Elliott leap and fly past the play, allowing Mayfield to set up and unleash a strike down the field to KhaDarel Hodge.

The play went for 41 yards and helped set up the Browns’ second TD of the night, with Mayfield finding a wide open Jarvis Landry in the left side of the striped end zone to push the Browns up 14-0.

Baker Mayfield asks fans for silence when Browns have the ball on offense

It’s a generally given principle of fandom that you only get loud when your team is on defense.

[jwplayer rzKgNnfu-ThvAeFxT]

Make no mistake, Baker Mayfield loves to hear the roar of the FirstEnergy Stadium crowd. He’d just like to hear a little less of it when the Browns have the ball near the end zone.

Mayfield noted in his postgame press conference that he believed right tackle Chris Hubbard couldn’t hear his snap count and that’s why he jumped early for a false start just before halftime. The 4th down penalty forced the team to kick a field goal instead of going for it and possibly extending the drive for a touchdown.

Some fans took umbrage, so Mayfield addressed the situation after Tuesday’s session in Berea.

“When we’re on offense on a critical down, we need to be able to have silence in our home stadium,” Mayfield explained. “It has to be an advantage for us, and then when they get the ball, it has to be really loud. It’s just football.”

Left guard Joel Bitonio seconded Mayfield’s sentiment. Bitonio noted, “It was a little bit loud a couple times in the red zone there going into the far tunnel.”

It’s a generally given principle of fandom that you only get loud when your team is on defense. It can be hard to resist the excitement, though.

Baker Mayfield: win over Bills ‘can get us going here’

Browns QB Baker Mayfield believes the Week 10 win over the Buffalo Bills ‘can get us going here’

[jwplayer TgRw3Jrx]

A composed, measured Baker Mayfield addressed the media after the Cleveland Browns’ 19-16 win over the Buffalo Bills. Wearing a knit cap and an approachable demeanor, the Browns QB described how he believes the win can launch something big for the team.

“We didn’t play perfect by any means,” Mayfield said. “We can still learn from the film and move forward and improve. But having a tight victory against a great team is something that we needed — especially at home.”

Mayfield played well in the win. He completed 26 of his 38 pass attempts, netting 238 yards and two TDs. It was the first game of the season where Mayfield threw for multiple touchdowns. He did not turn the ball over, either.

The second-year QB seemed relieved at the win as he continued,

“We kind of got the monkey off our back with that one. First one, at home, in game nine is not something usually that happens but it can get us going from here.”

The Browns don’t get long to savor the victory. They host the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of four in a row, on Thursday Night Football this week.